New Year New Yo- no that’s BS

Day 15 of the new year, how often have you heard “new year, new you”? Now divide those into two categories: “Yeah! I can totally do this! New me for 2016!” or “What a load of crap, I’m still the same me I was last year.”

Having a January birthday actually strongly influences my feelings on the matter. I rarely make my new year resolutions by January 1st (and as of this moment they still haven’t actually been recorded). However, having a birthday really makes me think about what I want the next year of my life to be. What milestones do I want to achieve? What do I want to do? Who do I want to be?

So, I guess, either way you look at it, I’m entering a new year with a fresh perspective. It’s this fresh look that I believe we should really be focusing on not the “new you.” I think it is fair to assume that anybody who is reading this is at an age where their personality, thoughts, feelings, values, etc. are pretty well established. Therefore, there is no new you. It’s the same you doing different things! So, you don’t need to change yourself, but rather your outlook.

Personal plug: I finally accepted that it was too damn cold to keep running outside so I finally started going to the gym. I look like one of the resolutioners that will be gone in a  month or two. Of course I hope to be gone in a month or two because I need nature. I’m already going stir crazy with the scenery. However, this is the first year since I began running that I have gone to the gym in winter to maintain all the hard work I put in. I consider that a new perspective, not a change of person.

The point is, whatever you do and however you look at it, whether it is the same as yesterday, last month, or five years ago, you should be satisfied with that. The whole reason we have these new year resolutions is to become someone we are happy with. For myself, I try to frame my resolutions around bettering myself, which ultimately, will translate to happiness. However, I do not go forth in search of happiness. Embark on a journey of discovery, open your eyes to things new and old and find whatever it is that completes you. This year.